Apparatus for cleaning drains, pipes, conduits, and the like



Sept. 20, 1949. w. c. KINCAID 2,482,345

APPARATU FOR-CLEANING BRAINS, PIPES, CONDUITS, AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1946 Inventor By flmwih WWW 3M2):-

Patented Sept. 20, 1949 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING DRAIN S, PIPES, CONDUITS, AND THE LIKE Walter Cameron Kincaid, Pueblo, 0010. Application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 650,948

3 Claims.

This invention relates to drain cleaners, drain breaches and similar cleaning apparatus using a specially wound spring cable, sometimes called a plumbers snake, which is rotated and pushed forward or withdrawn to perform the cleaning operation. Apparatus of this type, comprises a container for storing the cable in coiled form and means for rotating the same, the latter means being, connected with the former, so that the cable is rotated by rotating the container. This construction is simple but has very serious drawbacks. When the cable is rotated by power applied to the container difficulties in handling the tool and especially difficulties in keeping the cable and the container rotating as a unit always develop. When the means for clamping the cable and the container, however, fail to rotate the cable conjointly and uniformly work the container, the cable in the container is strained and kinked whereby operation is delayed, this leads to a rapid destruction of the cable.

The invention has for its object to provide an apparatus of the above described type in which the cable cannot be strained or kinked whatever the operational conditions may be and. which, while being of the same simplicity as other apparatus, permits easy handling in whatever position it may be applied.

This object is attained according to the invention by dissociatin the means for rotating the cable during operation from the container and by providing separate means for such rotation while the container itself is freely rotatable and therefore permits free and unrestrained selfadjustment of the cable.

Further objects of the invention consisting in improving some further features of cable or snake operating devices and these apparatus in general will be apparent from the following detailed specification.

The invention will be more fully understood when described with reference to specific modifications. These modifications, however, are merely examples which are intended to illustrate the inventive idea. They are not to be interpreted as limitative. The following specification describes and the accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in such a way that the principles employed will be clearly understood and these principles may, obviously, be applied by the expert skilled in the art in such a manner as to produce other embodiments of the invention. However, these other embodiments as they have been clearly foreshadowed by the present specification and as they use the same principles of construction, which are defined in the annexed claims do not constitute a departure from but form a part of the essence of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational sectional view of the apparatus on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view of the apparatus when looked at from the outlet side of the cable, the section being taken alon line 33 of Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are partly sectional views illustrating the application of the modification shown in Figures 1 to 3, Figure 4 being a perspective view illustratin the cleaning of a sink or wash basin, while Figure 5 is an elevational view illustrating the cleaning of a toilet bowl.

In the modification shown in Figures 1-3 the spirally wound cable l0, frequently called snake or plumbers snake is held within a container or cage H' which may accommodate a substantial length of the cable and which, as customary, consists of a cylindrical portion l2 housing the windings of the cable and in a funnel-shaped conical or truncated portion l3, whose end portion l4 surrounds and turns freely on the guiding tube [5 for the cable ID. No guide or drum arranged within the cage or container H is necessary to cause coiling of the cable in the interior of the cage as the latter when passing through the central opening at the end of the funnel shaped portion of the cage ll coils automatically at the other end.

The truncated portion of the cage is provided with window openings [6 permitting inspection, cleaning and lubricating of the cable when coiled. A cleaning cloth and/or a cloth holding some lubricant is passed through said openin after use to prevent rusting of the cable when not in use.

Surrounding the cage ll is a frame I! consisting of a band, iron or the like and whose shape conforms itself to that of the cage. This frame is held fixedly on the guide tube I5 by means of nuts [8, l9 engaging a screw threaded portion '20 of the guiding pipe and clamping the frame firmly between them. The frame I! is thus firmly joined to the guide tube l5.

A screw threaded radial hole 2| is provided in the guide tube l5 and, if necessary, in the nut [9, into which a winged screw bolt 22 is inserted. The latter cooperating with the guide tube acts as a clamping device for the cable which may thus be solidly fixed t0 the frame and tube and is compelled to rotate with it, when the bolt 22 is screwed down and bears against the cable.

On the opposite end of the frame I! a cross piece 23 closes the same and carries a crank which is centrally mounted on it so that the aXis of the crank coincides with the axis of the guide tube I5. The crank consists of a central axle 24 whose end portion is screwed into the frame H and is held thereby a nut as. The axle 24 is provided with a short stub shaft portion 25, projecting towards the outlet end of the cagewhich serves as a support or bearing for the sleeve 21.

whichis, however performed with a curved tele- The axle 24 of the crank is surrounded we.

freely rotatable hand piece 29 which is grasped by the operator and which secures a firm gene j tral grip in a line passing through the center of gravity of the arrangement. When held in a vertical or almost vertical position as is the'case with most jobs to be performed by this type of apearat s e ravitati nal p ll a s n thwis an is b ro e. ta en up. easi vby he. o erator When he a paratu to b he in an n lined in a tal ositi n, this. be n a mo e frequent-case, the torque due to the gravitational force is not very large, as the gravitation center .w-illalways be close to, the front side of the cage Where the cable is coiled and. the lever arm measured from said center to the nearest point gripped by the operator is therefore short.

The cra i se f s ar ang d at the er nd of the axle 24. It may simply consist of'a bent portion of the rod forming the axle. It is preferablv als p vided with ro b e sleeve acme as. a hand ece.

It willbe observed that when the hand piece 2.9 gripped by one han o t e ope t and is firmly'held while the crankis turned by the 93 ator s other hand, the axle 24 will rotate to ether with the frame l1 and the guiding pipe 15. When the clamping screw ZZ-hasbeen applied the cable It! scopic guide tube 8 9 such as is to beused where the drain pipe is curved, the best example being the bowl of a toilet, as shown at 40. V

The operationis very similar to that described so that it need not be. specially described. It is, however, to be noted that in this case the strain on the cable is very heavy as it has 'to rotate Within the. curved guideand ifpermitted .to' go back to the (X1115 the Gable is frequently distorted and damaged or at least. bad y k nked. W h t e described apparatus, however, no torsional forces are transmitted to the cageor to the cable stored in the, cage and if the torsion is very heavy, the 7 cable will slip in the clamping device. Behind suohdevi howeverrthe cable when slipp through the clamping device will only coil or move 7 h cage within the frame withou pr ducing any damag ng e fec 7 Th modification, described... giv s he p a r a. od. ee as'reeards he functiornne of his broach. This"iee1;gives notice when the. cable reaches he stoppa e and an operator. will thereby beabie to. find, when. the maximum load has been put on the cable. This feel enables the 'opierator to exercise his judgment as regards the will, rotate with the guide tube. The case [,I, will a sorota a l n th h o e- H we r. the rotation of the cage is not entailed positively. The c se ay rotate. r el o th st sh ft .25 and on its ends IA and. is therefore unable. to twist,- orkinkor otherwise strain the. cable, 19;. h at e is t s e m eyat he o n where the clamping screw 22 fixes it to the guide piece. while the entire length of the cable is free and may therefore adjust itself freelyand completely acc rdan e w th he position, which given o he deed P nt- 7 The application of the device for thecleaning at a si k ash b n- .3 is t a e F ure 4. The device is provided with a; straight telescopin ui e tube 3: adapted to nice on uide tube l5... The u e. 31315 t. upon. the ne wardly directed drainopening 3fi of the sink or basin. The operator pulls out a sufficient length of the cable, introduces it into the drain pipe through the drain opening and holds the devicein a vertical position above the drain opening by means of hand piece. 29, with the telescoping guide tube and 33 drawn out to full length. The operator then turns the crank 39 withthe other hand, thus rotating. the cable iii withinthe' pipe. At'the same time by pressing downward-lyon the apparatus. hemakes the guide tubes telescope intoleach other and thus advances thecable lnfslowlyfor thedength of'the. guide tube. When thetubes I5 have completely slid into each other 7 cable; a partlycylindri "steps which should be undertaken during the work, wherebya. successful performance of the cleaning work is facilitated anda saving of time and greater care for the. equipment; results.

It wilt be understood that. the mainimprove.- rnent. according tothe present. invention consists in providing a freely rotatabhav cage and a tel-e-.

scoping: guide tubathe rotation of the cable being taken care of without usingthe cage for this purpose and Without coupling it in any way with the rotational movement g-iven'tothe cable. My invention may; therefore, be realized also by using means other than those specifically described.

I claim:

1 Inan apparatus forcleaning drainage pipes V in combination a cable, apartly; cylindrical and partly funnel shaped cage-forthe same, said funnel 'shaped; bore'for'the passage of the cable from the interior of the cage, a guide-tube near the end of the funnelshaped portion ,ofthe cage, means for supporting the funnel shaped end of saidcage for free rotation on the end of said guide tube, a clamping device on said; guide tube for clamping the cabletothe same for rotation of the latter tcgetherwith theformer, aframeworksurround 7 7 ingthe cage, fixedlyconnected with said; guide tube, meansfor rotating said' framework and guide tubeincludi-ng a handf operated crank arranged on a; shaft, having-an axis of rotation coincident with theaxis of the guide tube and axis o-f rotationof the cage havingan inwardly projectingend; and means. for supporting the cylindricalpart ofithecage for free rotation on 7 said sh-aftend. V l o 2. an apparatus for cleaning drain pipes; acal and -partlyconica-l' cage cage'being provided with a central tube at the other end, means for supporting said 7 cage for free rotation on said inwardly projecting member and said guide tube and a clamping device for gripping said cable carried by said guide tube.

3. In an apparatus for draining pipes in combination, a partly cylindrical and partly funnel shaped cage for the same, a frame surrounding said cage provided with an inwardly projecting member at one end, a guide tube surrounding said cable, fixedly attached to said frame, having a portion projecting inwardly into said frame, means for supporting said cage for free rotation on said inwardly projecting guide tube portion and frame member, means associated with said guide tube for clamping said guide tube to said cable for rotation in common, and crank means provided with a plurality of handles, including a shaft axially aligned with the axis of the guide tube and a crank eccentrically arranged with respect to said shaft, the latter connected with said framework and thus to the guide tube for rotating said cable and guide tube around the axis of the latter.

WALTER CAMEIRON KINCAID.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 619,920 Wrigley Feb. 21, 1899 1,495,304 Heidelberg May 27, 1924 2,042,407 Kugelman May 26, 1936 2,044,848 Hermanson June 23, 1936 2,102,917 Rolland Dec. 21, 1937 2,117,659 Gobatti May 17, 1938 2,244,735 Silverman June 10, 1941 2,269,406 Crane Jan. 6, 1942 2,318,172 Long May 4, 1943 

